Pieces and Bits
by Fansquee
Summary: 200 to about 1000 worded stories that wouldn't go away, drips and drops, funny and serious, past and present, conversations with friends and ideas that refused to the amount of a drabble but not long enough to be considered fics.
1. Chapter 1: Revelation

Disclaimer: The Adventures of Merlin belong to their respected parties, I'm just having some unpaid fun in this and the following chapters.

Authors Note: Well, I haven't written anything for a while, inspiration was gone, my health was failing (I've just had my 3rd kidney transplant and the 1st year will pass on the 15th of Feb) and well, everything went to hell. Then my mum began watching Merlin quite late in the series and well, the little flicker began to reignite. This is what I have to show for it: short stories of Arthur, Merlin and his knights. Some are funny and full of crack, serious and sad, and also short and long but for the past few weeks they've given me back one of my most loving of hobbies, and that's writing.

All mistakes are mine as it's not beta'd and any problems will be fixed.

So, enjoy and please leave a review.

1. Revelation

The creature that had intended to kill Arthur in one fell swoop was now a smouldering husk in a sizeable crater.

The king looked up from the burning carcase to his skinny and not-so-useless manservant-turned-sorcerer.

"Wait… what?" he began in a dumbly confused state.

Merlin could only shrug nervously, avoiding his friends' eyes.

"So… what? Now any idiot can learn magic?" Arthur asked with just a hint of venom.

Gwaine laughed heartily and slapped Arthur on the shoulder.

"Welcome," he began gallantly, "the Sorcerers Apprentice!" All the while indicating the scowling king. But at that title, both young men pulled a face and protested.

"I don't want to learn magic!"

"I'm not teaching him!"

All went quiet.

"We're going to have a very long discussion about this!" Arthur snarled before turning on his heel and heading for his horse.

Gwaine turned towards Merlin smiling like a moron as he raised two thumbs-up signs with his hands before racing after his Royal Pissedoffness. Most likely to convince him how '**_great'_** magic was and how to work Merlin harder for it.

"A simple 'Thankyou' would have sufficed." Merlin grumbled to himself as he also began the trek back to camp.

Please review


	2. Chapter 2: Aftermath

Authors Note: Aww, no reviews? That hurts… but at least people are reading and hopefully, enjoying it.

2. Aftermath

Arthur sat sulking against some ancient ruins, his back towards Merlin, who had his head cradled in his arms as they rested on his knees. Neither the King, nor the Servant had spoken, only except for Arthur to shoot metaphoric daggers at Merlin who then cringed like a kicked puppy.

Gwaine, sitting to Arthur's right, was trying to persuade their King not to run his manservant through with his sword.

"I mean, you'd have both Gwen and Giaus pissed at you." He tried again as Percival raised an eyebrow but said nothing, except to poke the struggling fire.

"There would be no consequence, I am their King." Arthur stated arrogantly.

"Bullshit," Gwaine answered back. "Not in public, but Gwen would give no Special Cuddles and forget about Giaus giving you any perfect healthcare. He'll treat you, doesn't mean he necessarily has to dose out the strongest of painkiller herbs."

"And what would you have me do?" Arthur asked sarcastically. "Leave him be?"

"You **_are_** the King." Gwaine replied in a _'duh_, _dumbarse'_ voice.

"And what if he takes over Camelot?"

"Well, I'm sure his mum would tell him off."

"Not funny. I mean it. His clumsiness could be a ruse."

Gwaine fixed Arthur with a testy look before grabbing a stray red apple from his pack. "Oi! Merlin!" He called loudly over Arthur's shoulder to the huddled figure.

"What?" Came a muffled, and in what could only be described as 'heartbroken', reply.

"Catch!"

The apple sailed through the air before it 'thunked' on something hard.

"Ow! Son of a b-!"

"Fine," conceded Arthur between a cough (which wasn't a laugh). "He's harmless."

Percival only gave a quiet chuckle.

"Oh," Gwaine said in a surprisingly serious voice, "I never said he was harmless. Just that he's not a threat to us or Camelot."

Arthur watched Gwaine carefully and shivered under his cloak, thinking how lucky it was that Merlin hadn't decided he'd had enough of being pushed and bullied… which Arthur would completely and utterly stopped…

Maybe…

If Merlin stopped being an idiot.

Silence filled the clearing, however, it wasn't the foreboding nor unfriendly void of a crowd before the hangman's noose tightened, but one of contemplation and perhaps, change.

A deep breath and Arthur pointedly said, though not unkindly; "Perhaps we could discuss the matter further if the fire were to burn a little warmer."

Hardly daring to breathe, Merlin looked up at Gwaine, who nodded encouragingly before whispering a spell. It caused the fire to turn green before giving a puff that travelled over all the knights' heads where the falling ambers changed colours and turned into various insects travelling off into the night.

Gwaine clapped, cheered and whistled a little over-enthusiastically, Percival murmured to himself in appreciation, and Lancelot, who was used to Merlin and his magic, just simply snuggled beneath his cloak.

Arthur...

Arthur simply looked stunned stupid as he watched the tiny grasshoppers and ladybugs fade into the stars. He turned to Merlin with a look of eager enthusiasm.

"What else can you do?"

Yeah… sorry, I'm not great with magic description… oops? Feel free to 'send a totally pimped out' version.

Please read and review? You get a Merlin & Arthur plushie…


	3. Chapter 3: Consequence

Authors Note: Thankyou to the lovely sarajm who kindly left a review and also to Lissa powers who favoured it. Much appreciated. If I'm doing anything, just let me know. But these are very short because if I wrote them longer… they'd be too much of a ramble and run-on sentence.

All mistakes are mine as its not beta'd and any problems will be fixed.

So, enjoy and please leave a review.

3. Consequence

The bear had attacked with no warning.

The travelling party had realised too late that they'd crossed the path of a mother and her cubs as she pulled Gwen viciously from her panicked horse.

A blur was all the fight was and the enraged Sow _wouldn't go down_ as she attacked Arthur, Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine before Merlin (having been thrown then dragged as his horse bolted in terror) was able to finally stop her rampage. Not by death, but simply putting her into the deepest sleep possible without her breath stopping. She was protecting her family, as was he, and no death was needed as was that of the cubs, who watched from a nearby tree.

Now, hours later and by a fireside, he knelt shaking, exhausted and sick to his stomach as his friends recovered from their newly healed wounds, though he'd taken each laceration as a burden for himself for a time. He couldn't replace their blood, but they were safe from further loss.

It strained him; mind, body and soul, healing them and then healing himself.

And it was only when Merlin completed his race to save them, did he see his terrible mistake.

His hands had been skinned bloody and raw from the previous fall and, not thinking, he'd healed Arthur, followed by Gwen, Percival, Gwaine and Lancelot... mixing his own blood with the others...

He was rumoured to be immortal, and healing magic with blood willingly shared was said to also pass the gift. If this was true, Merlin had effectively just rendered his closest friends with his own curse.

They would never know death through old age nor would their bodies be affected by years.

And Merlin could only weep for what they'd unknowingly lost.

Before you protest, I researched and there were Brown Bears in Britain during the 5th Century but there were no Bears left after the 10th Century as they'd been hunted till they were no longer ... well, they were deader than a parrot.

Yeah, I'm sorry this one sucked, but I kind of wrote it at… 4am after two days of no sleep.

Please review.


	4. Chapter 4: Relax and Study

Authors Note: Still only one review? Maybe I should start asking people what they want written.

All mistakes are mine as its not beta'd and any problems will be fixed.

So, enjoy and please leave a review.

Warning…. And no ranting, its fanfiction and to my best I did research the history of Marijuana, and yes, lots is wrong with it, but I *think* it may have been introduced early on. Well… Merlin DOES have a talking dragon … and tomatoes … and potatoes…. And mirrors…. I'll shut up now.

4. Relax and Study

Laughter broke the still silence of mid-afternoon in the woods.

All five young men, Knights, King and Servant, sat casually around, each to a tree with Arthur sitting across from Merlin in his usual reclined position.

Merlin, having recovered from a bout of illness, was still suffering the side effects of light sensitivity. To combat this annoying ailment he'd taken a pair of Guias's discarded glasses, changing the prescription glass to merely tinted lenses. Also sitting in the shade helped along with the glasses to read from the ancient book that sat open on his lanky lap.

"No, you just told me the baby was a harbinger of ..." Merlin consulted the book, "huh, tepid ducks." He looked up at Arthur. "How did you get 'tepid ducks' mixed up with 'bringer of wealth'?"

"Maybe the baby will be a framer of warm climate ducks..." Arthur tried helpfully.

"Or timid poultry." Gwaine shrugged.

Merlin giggled in an unbecoming manner of a very powerful warlock.

Percival cocked his head at the young man. "Again, where did Giaus say he came across this medicinal herb?"

He was, of course, referring to Merlin's new habit of smoking a pipe every now and again. Not within the castle as Gwen didn't like the smell, but Giaus had found it quite a useful tool to sometimes calm the jittery boy and also make him eat a little more.

Merlin too the pipe from his mouth and looked at it. "Not quite sure, but they were using it for a ceremony and when asked Giaus was told it brought well being and helped with pain." He smiled to himself a little as he thought on Gaius's enthusiasm of its properties. "One old woman had stomach upset and when she takes it, the pain subsides for a time and she can manage soft food. Giaus though she was likely to die from malnutrition, but since she's picked up and will most likely make a good recovery."

"That is promising," Lancelot put in.

"Hmm," Merlin took another inhale. "And the thing that that excites Giaus the most is that only small amounts are needed and the patients are weaned off it easily and ... Arthur, concentrate on the book."

So far the herb, called _Haenep_ had shown remarkable qualities. Merlin found the fact that when some people had taken a dose they relaxed and seemed to be in a pleasant state of contentment. Others and he countered himself in this category, could concentrate fairly easily and seemed to have more patience with people. Truth be told, he'd thought the Knights and Arthur could use some as the past weeks had been strained at best, especially when it was announced that Arthur would be required to learn some sort of elf language to help 'bless' a birth. Not that Merlin understood it either. He passed his pipe around, replenishing the dried herb and showing all how to take deep inhales and simply relax.

Minutes later, the herb took effect; no one became panicked but did begin to want something to eat. Luckily Merlin was able to magic up a simple picnic (he'd been practicing food spells, it cut down on cooking time). When he began to try and teach Arthur again, he couldn't help but smile at his friend's relaxed state.

"You all right, Arthur?"

The King looked up, nodded and smiled. "I'm getting nice warm vibrations from the trees." Arthur paused and sighed happily. "Nature and magic sure are beautiful."

_Haenep_ is the Old English word for Cannabis… well the short search I did on the etymology of the word anyway.

Personally, no, I do not use the stuff. Am on enough medications for my transplant to be honest. Its a fanfic. Nothing meant to be taken seriously.

Please review.


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